Defence
by Jennifer Hack
Summary: LancelotOC. A shy, timid character starts a war by accident. T for language & violence.
1. Bitter

Defense

**Disclaimer**: I don't own 'nuffin.

**Author's note**: I got this idea after reading an encyclopedia entry about sir Lancelot on Wikipedia (http - Look up 'Sir Lancelot'). To briefly sum up what I read was that in one of the earlier versions of 'Lancelot' (the German version called 'Lanzelet') Lancelot marries a woman named Iblis, and lives to be an old man - both he and his wife die together on the same day. It is also interesting that in the earlier versions of Lancelot, the knight was not carrying on an affair with Queen Guenevere, it was actually Mordred. So I actually have some basis for my story :P

Another reason I started working on this was because I was generally unhappy with the typical Mary-Sue-ish main character associated with OC fics. So there. !

I've already finished writing - if this is reviewed well I'll post the rest.Oh, and for this I had to assume that Lancelot didn't die in the final battle (Duh!). Just like everyone else.

Chapter 01 : Bitter

01.00

Morning came again, the steady stream of sunlight through the window was not pleasant to Sir Lancelot's eyes. He groaned and tossed his head to the side in an attempt to escape the sun's glare.

Just beside his bed there was a sharp 'clang!' followed by the sound of something shattering. Lancelot, suddenly aware of another presence in the room, bolted upright. There was a sharp pain in his chest, and he winced.

"M-My Lord, I - I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you - I..." A girl's voice - shaky, nervous. She posed no threat. Lancelot would have liked to get a better look at her as she helped him to lie down again, but his vision was a little blurred.

"Oh..." The girl sounded disappointed, kneeling down to inspect the broken shards of the bowl she had dropped. "Stepmother's going to be so mad at me - Ow!" She exclaimed, cutting her hand on one of the shards. She stuck her bloody thumb in her mouth when she realized that Lancelot had been watching her intently. "Sorry..." She said quickly. "I - I'm a bit clumsy." She looked away. Lancelot smiled in amusement as she began to gather up the broken bits of bowl into her apron.

Lancelot's vision had mostly cleared by the time the girl had finally returned with a bruised cheek and a new bowl.

"Something to eat, My Lord." She said sullenly, removing a wooden spoon from her apron pocket and placing it next to the bowl.

Lancelot was finally able to get a better look at her. Young, thin - too thin, almost like she hadn't been eating. Rounded face dotted with a few freckles across the nose and cheeks. Her hair was a mousy colour, tied back with an old rag. She wasn't pretty, but she wasn't ugly either. Her face was halfway between beauty and ugliness - all in all, she didn't stand out much, Lancelot could have seen her a hundred times and not have remembered her - she was probably a scullery maid. Her eyes were a plain muddy brown, red around the edges either from crying or lack of sleep.

"The Lady Guenevere is waiting to see you, Sir." She sniffled, wiping at her face with her sleeve.

"Let her in." Lancelot said automatically. Obediently, the servant girl opened the door, and the Lady Guenevere, a true exquisite beauty, entered the room. The girl bowed her exit, but before she could leave, Lancelot called out, "No, please stay."

Guenevere looked confused by this, perhaps embarassed, but Lancelot didn't trust himself to be alone with her. He didn't want to betray Arthur.

"I am glad to see you've recovered." Guenevere said finally, eyeing the poor servant girl who shrank from her gaze. "I've already told Arthur that you were awake. He's on his way, now."

"Why have you come?" Lancelot asked, his voice sounded bitter.

"I wanted to thank you." Guenevere said softly.

"For what?"

"For saving my life."

Off in the corner of the room, the servant girl stood idly, unsure of what to do with herself, when Arthur himself entered. Lancelot nodded at her, giving the girl permission to leave.

"I'm relieved to find you well Lancelot." Arthur spoke in a deep voice. "How are you?"

"Everything hurts, but other than that, I'm fine." Lancelot smirked. "How did we do?"

Arthur's face turned grave. "Tristan has fallen."

Lancelot turned his face away and cursed under his breath. "How long was I asleep for?"

"Two days."

"Tristan was a noble man - I will miss him."

Somewhere in the middle of the conversation, Guenevere had slipped out of the room.

'You need your rest." Arthur said gently.

"I've rested enough." Lancelot said bitterly. He made a feeble attempt to get up, but Arthur stopped him.

"You must rest."

"My Horse-" Lancelot began to protest.

"I will see to it that your horse is taken care of." Arthur promised before leaving.

Lancelot turned his attention to the unidentifiable mush left by the scullery maid. It wasn't bad, but the food turned sour in his mouth. He forced himself to eat a little before falling asleep again.

02.00

The girl returned again at mid-day, this time with a cup of water and some stew.

"If there's anything else you need-" She began.

"Don't let the Lady Guenevere in here again." Lancelot cut her off.

She nodded, startled, and then removed a small roll of linen from her pocket. "I'm supposed to change the bandages." She pointed to his shoulder. Lancelot shot her a look and was silent.

The next day, sometime in the late afternoon Lancelot was able to get out of bed. He wandered down to the stables to see about his horse, alas, the noble steed was nowhere to be found, and so he ventured out into the fields where he found his horse out in the enclosure nibbling at the grass.

He whistled and the horse obediently trotted over. "When did you get out here?" He asked, stroking the horse's neck.

"I let him out this morning... Lord." It was the same girl from before, adding his title hastily at the end of her sentence. She leaned against the fence, standing next to him, eating an apple. "Want one?" She took another apple out of her pocket and handed it to the knight, then produced a third and fed it to the horse. "Sir Arthur wanted to make sure your horse was taken care of." She explained.

Lancelot stared at her. "I thought you were a scullery maid." He said.

She looked down. "My stepmother is the head maid here. I end up doing all kinds of work." She said glumly. Lancelot almost felt sorry for her. "Everyone calls me 'Mouse'." She volunteered.

"That's not a real name." Lancelot commented, returning his attention to his horse.

"It's Iblis. But nobody calls me that."

The Knight nodded to show that he was listening. "I'll be able to return home soon." Lancelot said absently.

"Oh - you're not going to stay for the wedding?" Iblis sounded almost disappointed.

"What wedding?" Lancelot whirled on her - his sudden change in demeanor set the poor girl on edge.

"Arthur our Sovereign is to wed the Lady Guenevere." Iblis said, her voice becoming shaky and nervous again - she sounded as if she were quoting an official document or something.

Lancelot's face acquired a faraway, distant look.

"You're in love with her - aren't you?" Iblis regretted her words as soon as she said them. "I - forgive me, Lord." She said quickly, but Lancelot wasn't paying attention.

"I need a drink." He announced to no one in particular.

03.00

"Shouldn't you be in bed?" Galahad approached Lancelot where he was sitting alone at a table out in the courtyard surrounded by empty mugs.

"Piss off." Lancelot snapped, grabbing the only filled mug and downing it in one go. It was after dusk, and there were several others milling about and drinking, but Sir Lancelot had been at this for several hours.

Unfazed, Galahad took a seat across from Lancelot. "You've been at this for hours." He informed him.

"Am I not allowed to have a drink!" Lancelot retorted loudly.

"You're drunk." Galahad observed.

"Of course I'm bloody drunk - everyone can see that!" Without warning, Lancelot stood up on the table, scattering mugs everywhere. "Hey everyone!" He shouted, arms open wide. "I'm drunk!"

Lancelot's announcement was met with a few cheers, some applause and requests for more drinks. As Lancelot tried to return to his chair, he slipped and Galahad rushed to keep him from falling and further injuring himself.

"Off to bed with you." Galahad said.

"But I don't want to go to bed." Lancelot protested, sounding like a child.

"What's going on?" Vanora, lover of Sir Bors, appeared, carrying a small child.

"How much did you give him to drink?" Galahad asked, supporting Lancelot to keep him from falling over

"I don't quite remember. I've never seen him so upset before." Vanora thought aloud.

"I think I'm going to be sick." Lancelot announced.

"Mouse!" Vanora called, placing the child on her hip. "We need a bucket!"

Iblis quickly came running with a wooden bucket, her face covered in soot. She had to look away and cover her nose when Lancelot vomited.

While he was doubled over, Iblis went and stood next to Vanora and Galahad.

"Is he gonna be okay?" The girl asked.

"Okay?" Galahad looked at her. "He's not going to be able to get up in the morning, that's for sure."

"I think you should fetch another bucket." Vanora said to the girl. Iblis nodded and cast a sympathetic glance at Lancelot before running off.

"My head..." Lancelot complained loudly upon waking up in the late morning of the following day. Somehow he was back in the Keep.

"Oh - you're awake. I'll go get Sir Galahad." Iblis jumped up.

"What happened?" Lancelot asked.

"You had too muck to drink. Then you got sick and passed out." Iblis explained.

"Oh, no..." Memories of last night quickly came back to him.

"Is... something wrong... Lord?"

"Please- just go and Galahad." He grumbled.

The wedding ceremony of Arthur and Guenevere was held later that day - Lancelot stood in the crowd and tried to look happy. In a way the constant pain in his head was good because it took his mind off of what was happening around him.

Their happiness caused him anguish and he couldn't make the feeling go away.

After the ceremony, there was a great feast - Arthur's halls were alive with bright colours and music and dancing. Lancelot stared at his food, unable to eat. Beer was the only thing he could stomach.

"So you're going to be heading home soon, eh?" Bors sat down next to him with two large mugs filled with ale, one of which he handed to Lancelot. "Vanora and I are finally getting married. Seeing Arthur and... well, it just made me think about some things." He looked thoughtful for a moment. Lancelot smirked, and was about to speak when Bors cut him off: "And if you say anything about the little bastards bein' yours-"

"You want me to stay a bit longer is that it?" Lancelot asked.

Bors didn't deny it.

"Ah, why not?" Lancelot took a hefty swig from his mug.

"I know it's hard for you." Bors said, drawing attention to Arthur and Guenevere dancing in the middle of the hall. "Seeing her with him. But you're a good man, and honorable man, no matter what you might say - I know your loyalty to Arthur is greater that the love of any woman."

Lancelot looked at Bors. "You sound smarter when you've been drinking." He said, getting up.

Iblis was in the kitchen, busy stoking fires and trying to be useful so that her stepmother, the head maid, wouldn't come and start screaming and throwing things at her again. She wiped at her face with her apron and then looked around for something else to do.

"What are you doing just standing around?" A shrill voice asked from behind her. Iblis's face went pale.

"Dance with me." Guenevere laughed, holding out a hand to Lancelot. The Knight stared at her, unsure of how to react to the Queen's request.

"Get back here you lazy good for nothing!" A loud voice coming from the kitchen echoed through the halls. The music had even stopped, all eyes were on the archway leading into the kitchen.

Iblis suddenly came running out of the kitchen followed by a barrage of pots and pans.

"Go on - get out of here! I hope you rot!" A rather large woman stood in the archway, waving a meat cleaver menacingly.

As Iblis was running, the fat woman aimed another pot at the at the girl's head. It hit its mark, and Iblis pitched forward, hitting the floor.

Bors and Lancelot had stepped forward in an effort to save the poor girl. Iblis quickly scrambled to her feet and ran to hide behind Lancelot.

"What's the problem here?" Arthur came forward to ask the woman calmly. The fat woman's brow furrowed, not taking her eyes off Iblis.

"This-" She pointed the meat cleaver at the girl, "This... this _pig _has done nothing but loaf about and eat my food since her father, my husband, died - she's not even _my _daughter. She was his first wife's child. And she's not even _his _daughter either 'cos her mother was a dirty _whore_!" She threw the meat cleaver at Iblis's head, but she ducked and the cleaver clattered to the floor, leaving marks on the stone. "You can curl up in a hole and die for all I care!" The fat woman proclaimed. Iblis was terrified - she had never seen her stepmother so angry before.

"Please!" She begged, latching on to her stepmother's arm. "Please don't throw me out - I've nowhere else to go! I-"

"Silence!" The fat lady boomed, backhanding the girl, sending her sprawling. Three neat drops of blood fell to the floor, and Iblis stared at the woman, wide eyed, holding a hand to her face as if that would ease the pain.

The stepmother began to move forward, but Arthur held up a hand for her to stop and even the fat lady didn't dare defy the Lord.

"What is your name?" Arthur asked the girl, who looked dazed.

"I - Iblis, my Lord. They call me Mouse."

"You will always have a place to stay within Hadrian's wall. I have seen you work and know that you do not sit idly. Your name I do know." Arthur turned to the fat lady. "You are Morgan. Your conduct this evening was inexcusable. I dismiss you from my service and request that you be gone by the end of the week. A horse I will provide for you so that you may find work elsewhere." He spoke to the fat woman calmly and evenly, and all she could do was stare at him in shock. "Now go." Arthur commanded, and she left. He signaled to the band to strike up again, and they continued as if nothing had ever happened.

Lancelot turned to find the girl they called Mouse gone, and he himself discreetly left the hall when he was spotted by the Lady Guenevere.

The Knight headed for the stables, where he could be alone. Lancelot tended to his horse, brushing the black stallion, when he heard a muffled sound coming from elsewhere in the stable.

Lancelot drew his sword, taking careful steps toward the noise.

But where he half-expected to find a crying girl, he found instead Bors and Vanora who had situated themselves in a rather compromising position.

"Dear God." Lancelot grumbled, throwing a horse blanket at the pair before Bors could protest.

Leaving the stables, Lancelot wandered out by the cliff where the wedding had taken place mere hours before. He stood a distance away from the cliffs edge, by an apple tree, looking up at the sky.

"Why does God feel the need to punish me like this?" Lancelot asked out loud.

"You sound sad." Came a voice from somewhere above him. At first he thought that either he was going mad or perhaps God had spoken to him, when he realized that it was Iblis who sat up high in the tree's branches.

Making her way down, there was a loud 'crack!' and the branch she was standing on gave way. Iblis fell to the ground in a tangled heap and Lancelot stared at her, startled by her sudden appearance. Iblis quickly stood up and dusted herself off.

"I - I'm sorry... My Lord." She said quietly.

"It's all quite funny, actually." Lancelot suddenly laughed a bitter laugh. "The one woman I want I cannot have."

"You speak of Guenevere." Iblis said earnestly. Lancelot looked at her.

"Why is it that everyone knew I loved her before I did?" He turned his attention to the stars above. "I could never bring myself to betray Arthur, but all the same, I'm beginning to wish that I really had died on the battlefield that day." His voice was filled with bitterness.

"But you didn't." Iblis interjected. "And everyone was so happy when they found out that you were going to live."

Lancelot sighed.

"You're lucky... to have such good friends." Iblis said gently.

"I know." Lancelot said, not looking at her.

"And now..." Iblis began to walk away. "I'm going to go back to the kitchen and then I'm going to sit on the hearth all alone, because that's what happens every night. I sit all alone by the fire until all the embers have died and I am asleep, because no one cares about a little Mouse." She said, her voice inaudible.

"Did you say something?" Lancelot asked, turning around.

"Oh, no my Lord." She shook her head. "Goodnight, Sir Lancelot." Iblis turned and walked away, leaving Lancelot to look at the stars.


	2. An Accident

Defense

**Disclaimer**: I do not own anything and would really like to NOT get sued.

**Author's Note**: I don't really have anything to say. Thanks to people that read this even if they didn't review and thanks to the people that did review. I really, really, really, really, really appreciate it.

Chapter 02 : An Accident

01.00

Iblis awoke shivering, curled up in front of the hearth. Outside the sky was already streaked red with dawn.

What had been a roaring fire the night before was now reduced to nothing more than a few red embers. Iblis sat up and rubbed her eyes before going outside to fetch more wood. Everyone on Hadrian's wall was still asleep - except for maybe a few Watchmen.

Sir Lancelot was awake as well, Iblis saw him standing at his window. She guessed that he hadn't slept the night before.

Suddenly, Iblis felt someone grab her roughly from behind and press a cold metallic object against her throat - probably a knife.

"Little girls like you shouldn't be out here so early." Her attacker said it a deep voice. He reeked of alcohol.

Before she had a chance to properly think about what she was doing, The normally mild-mannered servant girl elbowed the man in the stomach as hard as she could. The man doubled over in pain, just scathing Iblis's throat with the knife, drawing a thin line of blood. She swung the log she had been carrying at his head. There was a sickening crunching sound, and Iblis's attacker fell to the ground, eyes wide open with a thick trail of blood coursing down the side of his face.

Realizing what she had done Iblis opened her mouth and screamed.

Within moments, it seemed like everyone at the wall was awake. Galahad was the first to arrive at the scene, and was having a rather difficult time trying to figure out what the poor girl was screaming about. He started shaking her in an attempt to get her to say something, but Iblis wouldn't speak. He only succeeded in that he had gotten her to stop screaming.

"What's going on?" Lancelot, perceiving no immediate danger, put his sword away.

"She woke up practically everyone screaming and now she won't tell me why she was screaming in the first place" Galahad threw up his arms in frustration.

Iblis looked at Lancelot and pointed to the dead man not too far away. Already, most of the other servants had gathered outside waiting to see what all the commotion was about.

Lancelot knelt down beside the dead man and held a hand just over his mouth. The knight looked at Galahad. "Dead." He announced solemnly, brushing a hand over the corpse's face to close his eyes. Lancelot turned to Iblis. "Did you see what happened here"

"I - I..." She choked on her own words, unable to get them out. Lancelot thought she might faint for a moment. For lack of a better solution, he walked up to her and started shaking her, hoping to get some answers.

"What happened? Who killed this man?" Lancelot demanded.

"I - I did." Iblis suddenly began to cry. "I killed him" The confession burst from her. Lancelot looked down at her in shock. "He was going to kill me - He-" Iblis sputtered. "He had a knife at my throat and I was so scared I... I hit him. In the head. With the log. I - I hit him really hard. And then... he fell down."

"Come on - let's get you out of here." Lancelot turned to Galahad and nodded, letting Galahad lead her away.

02.00

Her hands were shaking. Galahad had tried to get her to calm down and drink some water but her hands were shaking so bad she dropped the cup and water spilled everywhere.

"A - am I going to be executed?" Iblis asked. Galahad shook his head.

"Just try to calm down. I'll go explain what happened to Arthur." Galahad got up to leave, and Iblis turned to look at Lancelot who was standing in a far off corner of the room.

"I didn't mean to kill him." She said.

"I know." Lancelot responded, not looking at her.

The doors burst open and The Lady Guenevere strode in. "Arthur is just outside talking to Galahad." She explained to Lancelot. "But I want to hear what happened from you." Guenevere looked at Iblis.

Iblis buried her face in her folded arms resting on the table and began to cry. Guenevere and Lancelot looked at each other.

"I didn't mean to. I thought... He... he had a knife... he grabbed me from behind and held the knife at my throat. I - I was so scared... I hit him... with a log from the woodpile just outside... I hit him really hard. And then he fell down." Iblis's voice was muffled - she refused to pick up her head.

"That man that attacked you..." Guenevere began. "He was the son of a French King named Claudas de la Deserte." The Queen sat down across from Iblis. "The King has not yet received news of his son's death, but regardless of the killing done in your own defense he may demand your execution or start a war. Or perhaps both."

"I must speak with Arthur." Lancelot stood up abruptly and exited.

"A - are you going to have me executed?" Iblis lifted her head to look at the Queen, her eyes red from crying.

"Arthur will not allow it. You acted as any would - as I would, If I had been in your position."

"But... now more people will die!" Iblis protested. Guenevere looked away.

"My husband is a man of principle. He will fight to defend these principles, and I will fight with him."

02.00

Lancelot found Iblis later in the day, after she had disappeared for several hours, huddling in one of the empty horse stalls in the stable, staring straight in front of her, unable to cry or speak.

"I fed your horse." She said suddenly. "I fed all the horses. Then I brushed them and put down fresh hay." Iblis was rambling, now. "And then I found a mouse, just a little mouse... dead. And I didn't know what to do with it so I left it there. And then... I got to thinking... about when I die..."

"You really shouldn't be out here alone. It's getting late." Lancelot said finally.

"Okay." Iblis said, but made no sign of getting up. "Sir Lancelot?" She turned to look at him.

"Yes?"

"Your wound has healed, Rome has left this Island, and your service to their Empire is over. The woman you loved loves another, and you can go home. And yet you stay. Why?"

"I made a promise to a friend - I said that I would stay just long enough to see his wedding. And then I will return home." He explained, yet even as he said the words, it just seemed false. He stayed for Guenevere. Everyone knew it. Iblis knew it. The servant girl sat still for a little while longer before Lancelot spoke again. "I'm not leaving you out here." He said.

Reluctantly Iblis got up and went with him.

After she had calmed down a bit and was able to function on a more human level, Iblis was helping Vanora serve drinks, while the knights, doing what they always did when faced with a crisis, were drinking.

"I heard you had quite a day." Vanora commented, handing Iblis a few empty mugs to fill.

"I just feel like... I can't do anything right. Like I've single-handedly ensured the destruction of Briton." Iblis handed the filled mug back to Vanora. "And even now, nothing feels real - like this is all just one big nightmare and I'm going to wake up."

"Don't worry so much - we're all with you." Vanora smiled reassuringly. "I would have done the same thing if I were you. And besides... Son of a King or no, others should learn to leave be those that are not their own."

Off in the background, Iblis heard lots of shouting. A fight was just starting.

"You're looking rather depressed." Lancelot came up just as Vanora was leaving, and handed Iblis his mug. "More, please."

"I just killed a man this morning." Iblis said numbly.

"I've killed lots of men." Lancelot smirked. "Some deserving, some not." Something about the way he was looking at her made Iblis uncomfortable.

Their conversation had been cut short when Bors suddenly threw a man across the keg table.

Before Iblis knew what was happening, Lancelot grabbed her. "Get down!" He shouted. In a matter of seconds, the entire place was in an uproar. Lancelot suddenly whirled around to face another man who was about to hit him over the head with a wooden stool. The knight quickly bashed the man's teeth in, and watched as, smiling and punch-drunk, the man fell to the floor. Iblis screamed, and quickly covered her mouth with her hands.

"Oh, he's really done it this time..." Vanora said in a huff, stepping over Lancelot's unconscious attacker, and heading straight for Bors.

Iblis reached under the table for a black case. "What are you doing?" Lancelot asked, before he had to fend off another drunken madman. Not wasting another minute, Iblis opened the case and removed a carefully polished fiddle. Iblis nervously clambered on top of the table, taking great pains not to damage the instrument. "She's gone mad." Lancelot said to no one in particular. He fixed his gaze on her, trying to figure out what exactly she was doing.

The girl awkwardly held the instrument, and drew the bow over the fiddle's strings, producing a loud squeaking noise. Everyone actually stopped fighting. All eyes turned to Iblis expectantly.

She took a deep breath, closed her eyes and began to play. Iblis wasn't half bad - the song she chose was a slow dirge, certainly more suitable for a funeral - regardless, the tune more or less served it's purpose in distracting the men from fighting, some of them even sat down to listen with thoughtful looks on their faces.

When she was finished the patrons applauded loudly, and Iblis's face turned bright red, unaccustomed to all of the attention she was getting. She hopped off the table when suddenly, one man bellowed:

"Play another!"

"Yes! Play another!" Vanora chimed in.

Unable to turn them down, and fearful of another fight, Iblis began to play again. This tune was happier, much quicker than the first. Some even stood up and danced.

She was forced to play three more songs before the crowd allowed her to rest.

"That was amazing." Lancelot leaned in to speak to her, talking loudly over the background noise, clapping.

"You really think so?" Iblis smiled, breathless and dazed, the happiest he had seen her in days. Before he really knew what he was doing, he cupped her face gently in both her hands and kissed her.

Loud cheers came from everywhere. Iblis looked up at Lancelot, and he could see that he had startled, perhaps even frightened her. She quickly broke away, running, leaving her fiddle behind, and Lancelot was too confused to even consider pursuing her.

"Who knew you'd end up falling for little Mouse!" Vanora laughed.

"I didn't-" Lancelot began to protest.

"Sure." Vanora winked at him.


	3. Declaration

Defense

-

**Disclaimer**: Hmm... King Arthur. Don't own it. Sometimes gross stuff can be funny.

**Author's Note**: I am very thankful that people took the time to review! Thanks a bunch! This chapter is all dialogue - the 'calm before the storm' type deal. I like eating flowers.

-

Chapter 03 : Declaration

-

01.00

"Claudas has declared war." Arthur said before the council of the round table. All of the Knights were present, as well as the Queen, Guenevere. "An Army, at his command, are mobilizing. They will soon be headed for Hadrian's wall. The blood of the girl alone will not meet his demands, I fear."

"Have you spoken to the girl... Mouse, they call her? She may offer herself up willingly as a sacrifice to avoid war." Guenevere suggested.

"Iblis." Lancelot corrected.

"It is too much to ask." Arthur shook his head. "She did not mean to kill - she did what any of us would to protect ourselves. She is the victim in all this."

"But how do you think she feels?" Guenevere shot back. "Knowing that she is not responsible for one man's death but for all the casualties that will result from this war?"

"If we abandon our principles and our morals, what else do we have?" Arthur looked at his wife calmly.

"Men will die for your principles!" Guenevere stood up.

"And I will die with them!" Arthur stood up to confront her. "We fought for a land where we could be free - men died, Tristin died - for that land. If we cannot defend ourselves in this land than we cannot be free."

Arthur's words rang true and Guenevere sat down again. "Then I am with you." She said softly.

-

"Thought you might be here." Lancelot said.

Iblis was on her hands and knees scrubbing the flagstones in the stable. Her eyes were red and had dark circles under them from lack of sleep.

"Hello." Iblis said glumly, not looking up. She dropped the brush she had been scrubbing with into a wooden bucket filled with soapy water. She let it soak for a minute before returning vigorously to her work.

"You don't have to do this anymore, you know."

"I know."

"The French have declared war." Lancelot informed her. Iblis abruptly stopped. Her fingers tightened around the brush until her knuckles were white, and a strangled noise burst from her. Her shoulders slumped forward - Lancelot could tell at once that she had begun to cry.

"Why don't you just tell Sir Arthur to... to have me killed or... executed - to pay for my crimes." Iblis was wiping furiously at her eyes, her voice was breaking. "Why should everyone else have to die?"

"But you've done nothing wrong."

"I should have just let him kill me." She brought a hand to her throat where there was left a thin white scar. "No one would have cared if I had died." She sounded neither angry nor sad - she spoke as if she was merely stating a fact.

"Arthur believes that this is a war worth fighting." Lancelot moved forward so that he was standing over her as he spoke.

"No war is worth fighting." Iblis sat up and covered her face with her hands. "It brings only death."

"Look at me," Lancelot commanded, but Iblis could not hear him through the sound of her own sobbing. He knelt down beside her and placed both hands roughly on her shoulders. "Look at me!" He repeated, louder. Iblis looked up at Lancelot - so startled that she had stopped crying. "I believe that this is worth fighting."

"But - I thought you were to return home." Iblis was visibly confused.

"It can wait." Lancelot stood up.

"Where are you going?" Iblis asked as he walked away, but Lancelot did not answer.

02.00

The situation was quickly deteriorating at Hadrian's wall. While some remained supportive of Iblis, others had begun to treat her as a kind of scapegoat. The servant girl made herself scarce, disappearing for hours at a time, waiting for night to come so that she could sit by the hearth and be alone again.

Arthur had begun preparing the Knights for battle - the arrival of Claudas was not more than a week off.

Somehow, Lancelot had managed to find Iblis one morning just before dawn, cleaning off tables in the courtyard. Her arms were filled with empty mugs to be stacked and put away.

"Where do you go during the day?" He came up behind her, Iblis nearly jumped, causing her to drop everything she was carrying.

"Oh - oh, It's you." Iblis breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm sorry." She stooped over, trying to gather all the mugs together again. "There are a lot of people that are very angry with me." She forced a smile. "Was there something you needed?"

"Where do you go during the day?" Lancelot repeated, trying not to laugh at her clumsiness.

"Oh, I don't know. Anywhere, I suppose." Iblis shrugged, causing a few more mugs to tumble to the ground. She bent down to pick them up. "I didn't want this." She said suddenly.

"I know."

"They're coming, aren't they? They'll be here, soon." Iblis asked. Lancelot didn't deny it. "He wants revenge. Why not let him have it? Better my death than yours." She spoke in the clearest voice he had ever heard her use.

"You're the strangest woman I've ever met." He commented. This caused Iblis's face to turn red and drop all of the mugs again. She frantically turned away from Lancelot in an attempt to hide her face while she gathered up everything she had dropped. "How long have you been here at the wall?" Lancelot asked suddenly.

Iblis was quiet as if she was thinking. "Oh. I came here with my father when I was eight so I've been here... eleven years, I suppose."

"And I never noticed you before?"

"I don't really stand out much." Iblis said simply with a shrug. More of the mugs fell from her arms and dropping the rest of them in frustration, she grabbed one of them and flung it at the stone wall where it clattered unharmed to the ground. She sat down on one of the benches with a sigh looking rather depressed, holding her head in her hands.

"Arthur seems to think that you would be safer if we sent you away for a while. Is there anyone you could-" Lancelot began, sitting on the bench across from her.

"Not that I know of." Iblis sounded thoughtful. "I have been at the wall for so long that I do not know anyone that lives on the outside. My mother might still be alive, but my father drove her away just before we came here. He mourned her as one mourns the dead - even though he cast her out as a whore. That's why my stepmother thinks my mother dead. He told me nothing of my mother and then he married stepmother. Now my father is dead." Iblis did not sound sad as she told the story. "It was so long ago - that he died."

"You never told me your full name." Lancelot watched her face intently as if waiting for some kind of sign.

"I don't have one. Just Iblis. My father did not give me his name."

"I don't understand, then." Lancelot shook his head. "Why didn't your father send you away as well, then?" He might have been surprised, even shocked by her story, had he not heard so many others like it. Even Iblis knew that she was not the only child who did not have her father's name.

"I don't know. I don't know why he didn't. Perhaps I really was his daughter. Or perhaps he did not want me punished for her crime. I've no way of knowing now." Iblis paused for a moment, and studied Lancelot's face. "I am sorry, my Lord. I am not really sure if I should be telling you all this."

"Regardless, Arthur feels that you will be safer in the keep. You will be given a room in the main wing, so you should pack up whatever belongings you may have in the servant's quarters."

"I don't have a room in the servants wing." Iblis said simply. A look from Lancelot prompted her to explain. "My stepmother never gave me one."

"Then where did you stay at night? Outside in the stable?" He raised an eyebrow.

"No. I slept by the hearth." Iblis stated. "It's not so bad, really." She added quickly.

"Alright, then. Let's go." Lancelot stood up.

Iblis tripped over one of the mugs still on the ground, and pitched forward, landing face first in the dirt. She didn't move for a while.

"Are you alright?" Lancelot asked, standing over her.

"I'm... fine." Iblis sat up, wiping some dirt and dust off her face. Lancelot couldn't help laughing at her. Glad at least in some way to take Lancelot's mind off Guenevere, Iblis got up and for the final time gathered all the mugs together as Lancelot walked away.

03.00

"This is to be where you will stay. I tried to give you one of the better rooms as you may be spending a considerable amount of time here." Guenevere said, holding the door open for Iblis, who stared at her new surroundings in shock.

"I used to clean rooms like these..." She breathed. "All this... for me?" Iblis turned to the Queen, who smiled and nodded.

"You'll be safe here." Guenevere added. "The chambers I share with his Lord and Majesty, my Husband Arthur, are not so far away. This wing is kept under close watch, and constantly guarded."

"Forgive me, Lady. I did not mean to..." Iblis started.

"Start this war?" Guenevere finished. "You ask to be completely forgiven- while there are some here that will not grant that forgiveness, my husband and I are not one of them."

"It's so strange." Iblis whispered, examining the room where she was to stay. "Just a few days ago, not one knew me, and now there are few that don't know who I am."

"You like this newfound fame?" Guenevere inquired.

Iblis shook her head. "When I was very young I used to wish that I could be... someone. Someone important- that the people loved. Now I just wish I could be invisible again."

"I see." The queen said thoughtfully. "One more thing." She paused at the doorway. "You are to continue your duties within the keep. For your own safety, I must request that you stay inside."

"I understand." Iblis said glumly. Guenevere left, and Iblis was all alone.


	4. Open War

Defense

-

**Disclaimer**: Don't own anything. But I would really, really like a puppy for my birthday.

**A/N**: Comments/suggestions/death threats are welcome via email review. It is my intention to sit down and play video games for several hours.

Well... this is the last chapter. Thanks to everyone for reading my fanfic. It's been real. Peace out.

-

Chapter 04 : Open War

-

01.00

Claudas de la Deserte had landed in Briton. Arthur had already received reports from several of his Woad spies. Hadrian's wall was secured, his men were ready - now there was nothing left to do except wait.

The men were growing restless, they knew that open war was upon them, that they may soon die, yet all they could do was stand at the top of the wall and look to the horizon line. Lancelot thought he might go mad with all this waiting - although he hated to admit it, he did long for battle.

The others weren't faring much better- Iblis sat at the window and stared. That was what she did now. She often toyed with the idea of going outside, but she feared upsetting the King and Queen that were so kind to her. Vanora had brought Iblis her fiddle, so she was able to whittle away at the time by playing.

And then one day, they were spotted on the horizon line. It was just before dusk when the foreign soldiers appeared in great numbers, carrying torches to light their way.

"We are ready for them." Guenevere reassured her husband.

"I pray that you are right." Arthur responded, standing at the wall.

"Do we fight?"

"That depends."

"On what?"

"On whether or not they plan on fighting in the dark."

"They wish to negotiate." A breathless knight ran up to announce.

"Then I will go." Arthur said, looking at him.

"No." Guenevere said suddenly, looking down at the army that was spread out before Hadrian's wall. "Send me instead." She looked at her husband. "They will be hesitant about killing a Queen. A man can fight without his arm, but if you cut off the head, he will die."

Arthur shook his head. "And If you rip out his heart?"

"I can't let you go, my lord." She said, her voice suddenly stiff with formality.

"Very well." Arthur looked away from her and shifted his gaze on the horizon. "Do not stay long."

"You can't let her go out there!" Lancelot protested.

"Iblis is missing!" Gawain burst onto the scene. "She wasn't in her room!"

Amidst the confusion, Guenevere managed to slip away, unnoticed.

Realizing his wife had gone missing as well, Arthur became very concerned. "Find the girl." He said to Lancelot before chasing after Guenevere.

02.00

"The Lord Artorius Castus sends a woman to do his bidding." The General sneered at Guenevere.

"I am not here with my husbands consent." She said firmly. "And you are Claudas de la Deserte, I presume?"

"You are right." He said, looking down at her from his horse.

"I was told you wished to negotiate." Guenevere clenched her fists at her sides, forcing herself to look this man in the face.

"I did not come here to slaughter your people and spill the blood of innocents, yet you have forced me to." Claudas spoke in a thick accent.

"What is you want?"

"I want the name of the girl that killed my son, as you have given me nothing else."

"And if I refuse?" Guenevere said boldly.

"I might kill you here, so that your King may see what this war will cost him."

"She has no name." Guenevere said finally. "They call her 'Mouse'."

"Then why do you insist on protecting something that has no name! Give her to me now - her life means nothing to you - her death will pay for my son's own!" Claudas had drawn his sword and pointed it at Guenevere threateningly, yet the Queen showed no signs of fear. It was... unsettling to him.

"I must warn you that if you move to kill me, you would be dead before your sword could draw blood."

"We meet tomorrow on the field of battle." The despot spat on the ground, and spurred his horse away. Guenevere, unfazed, retreated back to the castle.

-

Iblis was lying asleep by the hearth - the day's roaring fire now considerably reduced in size, and now the fire fed on the splintered remains of Iblis's fiddle. It was like this Lancelot found her, her hands covered in bits of splintered wood.

"Iblis - wake up." Lancelot said firmly, kneeling down next to her and shaking her gently.

"It's not yet morning." She protested.

"Come on - you've got to get back upstairs."

Iblis opened her eyes and sat up. Lancelot moved away from her. "I want to stay here." She said meekly.

"You can't. There is an army at the front gate." He stated. "Why did... why did you throw the fiddle on the fire?" Lancelot couldn't help asking. Iblis watched the flames intently and refused to answer.

03.00

Night fell on Hadrian's wall, bringing with it an unsettling silence - there was no more music drifting through the halls. This eerie silence filled the air until morning, when the silence was shattered by a battering ram at the gate.

The Knights quickly awoke and readied themselves for battle, as the Woads outside the gates rained arrows down on the French invaders in an attempt to buy the British some time.

The Knights rushed to secure the gate as the archers atop the wall picked off the invading army one by one. The gate came crashing down, anyway, and then everything became a blur.

Iblis felt lost in a sea of blood as she stood watching helplessly from above. Her mind screamed and she could no longer stay and watch the massacre that unfolded before her eyes. She ran, hoping to find comfort by the hearth.

The kitchen was empty - all of the servants had fled, the chef had even left carefully prepared meals out on the tables. Iblis sat by the hearth and closed her eyes, trying to forget the things she had seen, but she could still hear the screams of the dying not too far away. She clamped her hands over her ears and rocked back and forth on her heels, trying to drown out the sound.

This was how Claudas found her - a simpering pathetic wretch that had killed his son. He knew that it had to have been her , she was the only servant that hadn't fled, perhaps, he supposed, from guilt.

"Now there is no one that can save you." Claudas spoke through clenched teeth while tightening the grip on his sword. He thought she might beg, plead for her life, but she didn't. She stared at him, hands still clamped firmly over her ears, staring at him with wide eyes. He thought she might run, but she made to move to flee. Pity stirred within the despot for a moment, staying his hand. The girl appeared as a stone statue might, unmoving, unblinking.

The statue came to life when Claudas lunged at her. There was a loud noise - the sound of metal upon metal, and the King saw that Iblis had raised a skillet over her head with both hands in an effort to protect herself. Her arms were still shaking from the shock when Claudas swung again.

Nimbly, this girl he had known only as 'Mouse' dived out of the way, still clutching her skillet with white knuckles. Claudas's sword was caught between two stone slabs, and he had to labor to free it again. While he was busy trying to free his blade, Iblis had fled.

Outside, in the courtyard, Lancelot could no longer see clearly. Every face became a blur, another face among his many vanquished foes. He felt something at his back, and whirled quickly, his sword covered in blood, ready to strike. This face belonged to Galahad, and Lancelot quickly lowered his sword. With a brief nod, the two men turned around again, returning to battle. Lancelot had grown used to fighting, Galahad despised it.

She didn't know where she was going or where her feet were taking her. All around her was screaming and noise. Iblis couldn't stand it. She ran to escape the sights and smells of battle. Suddenly, Claudas de la Desertes appeared, leaping out from behind a corner. Iblis screamed.

Laughing maniacally, Claudas could almost taste his vengeance. Swinging his sword in a wide arc, he lunged at the girl again.

He waited for the girl's dying scream, but it never came. Instead he was assaulted with various weaponry taken straight from the kitchen - the wielder a rather fat looking woman. At first Claudas was rather taken aback by the fat lady's assault, but with one quick sweep of his blade, he drew blood. The woman bit back her screams of anguish just long enough to bash his head in with a cooking pan.

"Morgan!" Iblis screamed as the woman fell to the floor.

04.00

After word of their commander's defeat had spread, the army began to flee, leaving Hadrian's wall in a mess of blood and gore. Arthur's Knights had fought valiantly - their foes had been vanquished, and yet, they wandered this... battlefield that was once the courtyard, marveling at all of this death and destruction that had taken place at the exact location where they had been drinking and merrymaking not two nights before.

"The dead must be buried." Arthur said, his voice filled with regret. "The French along with our own."

Lancelot nodded, showing that he understood. No matter how many battles, he felt that he would never quite become accustomed to the sight of the men wandering around the fields, looking for their friends and comrades in shock after a skirmish.

"They found someone dead in the girl's room." A soldier announced.

"Iblis? Is she..." Lancelot asked.

"No." The soldier said. "But she is not there. We can't find her, Lord."

"Where is Guenevere?" Arthur's thoughts turned to his wife.

"I'm here." She said from somewhere behind him. Arthur turned to her.

"You are well?" He inquired.

"Yes." Guenevere nodded. "They didn't put up much of a fight when they found their King was dead."

"Yes, but... who killed him?" Lancelot asked.

"We need to find the girl." Guenevere said.

Lancelot thought to look for Iblis by the hearth, first, but she was not there. He left the kitchen, when he heard the sound of someone crying down the hall. His footsteps quickened as he rushed towards the source of the noise, only to find Iblis crying over her stepmother's body.

"She came back for me. She came back to make sure I was safe... even though... even though she said she hated me..." Iblis said, her voice broken. "I think... I think I always knew she loved me... no matter what she said. She was the only mother I had ever known."

Lancelot found that there was nothing he could do to comfort her. Walking over to Iblis, he placed a hand on her shoulder. She turned to him, throwing her arms around him and holding him close to her while he could do nothing but listen to her shed her tears.

-

Epilogue

-

Bors and Vanora were married, though without all the splendor of the wedding of Arthur and Guenevere. True to his word, Sir Lancelot did stay for the wedding, but once the ceremony was over, he went to the stables to get his horse ready.

Instead he found Iblis there with his horse, waiting for him.

"What are you doing here?" Lancelot asked, surprised.

"I work here." Iblis explained. "I thought you might be leaving, so I..."

"Thank you." Lancelot said, noticing that his horse had already been saddled and bridled. "And to what to I owe this favor?" He asked, accepting the reins from Iblis.

"Please let me go with you."

"Sarmartia is a long way from here." Lancelot looked at her.

"I know, but..." Iblis paused. Lancelot turned and placed both hands on the horse's back, about to get on. "I know that you're leaving because you need to be away from Guenevere, but... I want... I want to be with you." Iblis said finally, her voice clear. "If you'll let me."

Lancelot sighed and turned around. Without saying a word, he stepped aside so that Iblis could climb up on the horse. Lancelot got on behind her, and he sped his horse to a gallop, leaving Hadrian's wall behind. He barely remembered the world that he had came from, he had spent more time on this Island than the place he called home, and the road was long, but at least he didn't go alone.

Fin.


End file.
